Lessons on eating Ethiopian

You would think that I would have some photos for this, but no, I get so caught up in food that by the time I think to photograph it, it’s gone.

I cooked Ethiopian last night. It built over the course of three days, well, really more like 7 if you want to start with ordering the teff to make the injera (flat bread used as a scooping utensil).

Injera is like a pancake but it’s made out of a millet type flour called teff. It has to ferment and be fed for three days, which people say stinks like old gym socks but maybe that’s cause they don’t have a home brewer and aren’t used to the smell of yeast and fermentation. I thought it smelled good.

The batter is teff flour, a teeny bit of yeast to start the fermentation, salt to taste and water. FYI- teff is gluten free (well, it’s got gluten but it’s a different gluten), high protein and has a nice nutty flavor reminiscent of good whole wheat.

A learning tangent. . . Injera is a learned art. I learned last night that I had the batter too tight and that the griddle should be REALLY hot or it will stick. And that all the light portions of the “pancake” should disappear before you remove it as done. I’m used to pancakes burning. This seemed not to burn. Again, that might be a factor of flours’ flash point.

To go with the Injera, I made Shiro Wat, Doro Wat and sauteed spicy cabbage (’cause I had some in the fridge that could become something new and different).

Shiro Wat is a chickpea stew. It’s chickpea flour stirred into sauteed onions, garlic and lots of oil with the addition of beriberi — which I made too. Where can I find fenugreek? How about paprika in large amounts since the beriberi called for 2 cups? I made a 1/2 recipe and put the leftovers in the fridge. But that’s a another tangent. The Shiro was fabulous!! Thick and creamy, like cream gravy only good for you.

The Doro Wat is a chicken stew, made with more beriberi and more paprika, and lots of onions and garlic. During the last 15 minutes, you add hard boiled eggs, one per customer, that are pierced all over 1/4 inch and rolled into the sauce.

All of this gets placed on the injera, in separate piles. Then you use the injera to pick up bites.

It was yummy!!! And wheatless. Although I didn’t miss the wheat/bread, which is amazing.

Next time, the batter will be looser, I might add some chickpea flour to the Doro Wat to stiffen it a bit, I’ll make the Injera in a frying pan and not a griddle and I’ll move the pan like you do for crepe making. And I’ll invite you over ’cause now, I think I know what I’m doing.